Healthy eating is key to a healthy heart. The good news is that healthy eating isn’t all or nothing. You can start with small changes that work for you to experience benefits like boosting your immunity, strengthening your bones, and helping your digestive system function. It’s never too late to take a step toward better heart health.

Food isn’t just about nutrition — it’s also about enjoyment, comfort, culture, and family. So don’t feel like you need to give up all the foods you love. Just aim for balance and try to eat healthier most of the time. And when you cook, try tweaking favorite recipes to use a bit less salt, sugar, and saturated fat

To cut through the noise, it can help to focus on 4 key things for heart health: sodium (salt), sugar, fat, and fiber.

Cut back on sodium (salt): When you eat too much sodium (salt), your body pulls more water into your bloodstream and this could cause your blood pressure to go up. And high blood pressure raises your risk for heart attack and stroke. Get creative with spices and herbs to help cut salt, and avoid processed meats (think: marinated, smoked, canned, or cured).

Choose healthy fats: Saturated fat raises your “bad” cholesterol (LDL) — and switching to unsaturated fats can lower it. Replace saturated fats with unsaturated fats like Unsaturated fats like avocados, fish, nuts, olive oil, and canola oil.

Skip the sugar: Choose water instead of sugary drinks. 

Eat more fiber: Fill half your plate with fruits and vegetables. And to save time and money, buy frozen or canned — just make sure they’re low in sodium.

• Try a new fruit
• Drink 68oz of Water 
• Eat a low-sodium snack
• Make a heart-healthy smoothie
• Try a new heart-healthy recipe
• Try eating a meal without meat

How’s this for a salty shocker? The #1 source of sodium (salt) is… bread.

It’s true! The top source of sodium for Americans is bread and rolls — and all those slices for toast and sandwiches can really add up. That’s why it’s so important to check labels and choose breads and other products with less sodium.

Basically, if you’re alive, you’ve got some stress going on — and you can’t always control the things that stress you out. But you can control how you manage your stress. Learning ways to cope with long-term stress can protect your health and lower your risk for heart problems.

In stressful situations, your body releases adrenaline — and that makes your heart rate speed up and your blood pressure rise. When you’re dealing with long-term stress, your body stays in this “fight-or-flight” mode all the time. And that can lead to high blood pressure and a higher risk of heart attack and stroke.

How can I start managing stress?

Noticing what causes your stress — and acknowledging those feelings — is a good place to start. Sometimes just naming an emotion can help you process and move through it. Then you’re ready to find some stress relievers that work for you.

Physical activity can lower your stress right away. When you’re feeling anxious, follow these tips to move through it:

• Start with a simple walk or roll around the block
• Try relaxing physical activities, like yoga or tai chi
• Sweat your stress away with intense activities, like kickboxing
• Go for a walk or bike ride at a park or nature trail — spending time in nature can also help lower stress
• Connect with People
• Take Screen and News Breaks
• Find a new hobby or relation practice

So get more active today and see how much better you feel. Here are some ideas:

• Take a screen break
• Go outside
• Do something that makes you laugh
• Do a breathing exercise

There’s a lot of heart-healthy steps you can take on your own — like eating healthy meals and getting more physical activity. But there are also times when you need to team up with a professional. They can:

• Help you understand your personal risk for heart attack and stroke
• Check your blood pressure, blood sugar, and cholesterol — and prescribe medicines to manage them if needed
• Keep track of your numbers over time — and catch problems early, before they cause a heart attack or stroke
• Refer you to a cardiologist (heart doctor) or another specialist if you need one

It can take time to find the right doctor, but it’s worth the effort. Try these tips:

• Ask friends and family. A recommendation from a loved one can go a long way toward finding a doctor you feel comfortable with.
• Get a referral from another doctor. If you’ve seen a specialist you liked for a health condition, ask them to recommend a good primary care doctor near you.
• Go through your insurance company. Most health insurance plans have online tools to help you find in-network doctors in your area.
• If you don’t have insurance, try a local health center. Local community health centers offer care to everyone, whether you have insurance or not.

Make sure your doctor is a good fit

If you don’t click with a doctor, you can always switch. Doctors are there to help and support you. If you ever feel uncomfortable or feel like your doctor isn’t giving you the support you need, don’t hesitate to make a change. Remember, it’s all about finding your rhythm and doing what works for you!

Looking for a doctor near Overtown? Try these:

Culmer Clinic

Jefferson Reaves, Sr. Health Center

Jessie Trice Community Health System

Did you know that you can get your blood pressure checked for free at any Miami-Dade County Fire Rescue Stations? 

‘Move More, Eat Healthy, Stress Less, & Work With a Doctor’ is sourced from livetothebeat campaign with permission.